


See? Friends!

by tedaltmans



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-19
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-01-19 23:34:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1488241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tedaltmans/pseuds/tedaltmans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chapter 1: Holding Hands // Hanging Out with Friends // One Comforting the Other // Different Clothing Style // Gazing into Each Others' Eyes<br/>Chapter 2: On a Date // Dancing // Cooking/Baking // In Battle, Side by Side // One of Their Birthdays<br/>Chapter 3: Shopping // With Animal Ears // Making Out // Doing Something Together // Getting Married<br/>Chapter 4: Wearing Each Others' Clothes // Wearing Kigurumis // Eating Ice Cream // During Their Morning Rituals // Spooning<br/>Chapter 5: Cuddling Somewhere // Gaming // Kissing // Cosplaying // In Formalwear<br/>Chapter 6: Arguing // Making Up Afterward // Doing Something Ridiculous // Doing Something Sweet // Doing Something Hot</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I took out the "genderswapped" prompt and made up for it by using "one comforting the other."

**Holding Hands**

 

They’re strolling through the park when it happens. It’s nothing special, just a brush of David’s fingers against his and suddenly Tommy is hyperaware of how closely together they’re walking. He looks at David out of the corner of his eye, trying to understand what this is, why he feels like electricity is flowing into his heart through his arm. David’s just gazing across the path at a group of children playing Frisbee with an excited border collie.

When David turns back, Tommy jerks his eyes away. David doesn’t seem to notice. They walk a few more steps and their fingers brush again.

This time, Tommy throws caution into the wind, says _fuck it_ , doesn’t think too hard about it and threads his fingers through David’s. His hand is warm, a little sweaty, but Tommy’s is too and he figures it makes them even. But as soon as their hands are connected, Tommy wants to snatch his hand back and pretend it never happened. A little squeeze of his fingers from David keeps him from fleeing.

“I thought you didn’t hold hands.” David is smiling when he says it, a little lift at the corners of his mouth. Tommy relaxes and shrugs to play it cool, tries not to make a big deal about his heart racing when his body is so still.

“Yeah, well, I guess I can make an exception.”

 

~~~

**Hanging Out with Friends**

 

“That’s Cessily, Julian, Santo, Sooraya, and Josh. Everyone, this is Tommy.”

Tommy gave a nod of greeting to the group of mutants all standing in a circle and watching him curiously. David stood beside him, still explaining who had been where and doing what when the epic battle against Mother had taken place. Tommy glanced between their faces and most of them looked happy enough, though he saw Julian—Hellion, he knew—off to the side, leaning against the wall with one shoulder, arms crossed, and appraising him from head to toe.

“So you’re one of the Young Avengers?” Julian didn’t sound impressed.

“Yeah,” David answered for him. “Wiccan’s brother.”

“Kind of,” Tommy added.

“That’s cool,” Cessily remarked. “So are you all related to Avengers or something?”

“Uh, or something.”

Cessily nodded, but didn’t have another question. A silence fell between the group. Tommy put his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

Josh interrupted then, breaking out of the circle with, “So who wants to play some basketball?” and effectively breaking up the tension.

“No powers!” he adds to combat the competitive glint that sparks in both Julian’s and Tommy’s eyes.

 

~~~

**One Comforting the Other**

 

David woke up screaming.

Tommy jerked out of sleep, his hands instantly moving to pet David’s arms, shoulders, neck—anywhere he could touch to help soothe imagined wounds. David thrashed in his arms, still consumed by the fire in his sleep.

“It’s not real,” Tommy whispered. “It’s not happening.”

The nightmare didn’t happen as often as it had before—but when it came it reared its ugly head full-force. David went from feeling safe, sound asleep curled with Tommy in their bed, to being surrounded by fire and gunshots and the bodies of his friends.

“It’s not real,” Tommy repeated.

David whimpered loudly, finally awake, the sound muffled against Tommy’s t-shirt. The nightmare had stopped, but the pain was still there. The gnarling, twisting guilt David felt for not knowing, for not doing enough, for surviving.

His panting breaths turned into shudders and he gripped at Tommy’s waist like it was his last lifeline. Tommy had nothing left to do but stroke comforting fingers across David’s back and let him cry onto his chest.

 

~~~

**Different Clothing Style**

 

“It looks good on you.”

Tommy glanced over at David, the belt on the seat of the jet the only thing keeping him from moving that direction, too. He settled for resting his hand on the top part of David’s thigh.

“Don’t get used to it. Black and yellow ain’t really my style.”

“So this is a one-time thing?” David asked as he reached over to tap the shining silver X belt draped around Tommy’s waist. Tommy just leered at him, ignoring that there were definitely other X-Men on this plane who could definitely hear them.

“Well, maybe if you ask nicely.”

 

~~~

**Gazing into Each Others' Eyes**

 

David’s eyes hurt from staring at the same square foot of space for the past fifteen minutes. He and Tommy had been enjoying their dinner when Billy and Teddy happened to come into the same restaurant, exchanging quick greetings before finding their own seats. Tommy glared when they chose to sit on the same side of the booth instead of opposite each other and before David knew it, Tommy was trapping him in this weird romance grudge match.

Tommy directed that they had to look like the biggest saps in existence and apparently that meant David had to give Tommy undivided attention. Which also meant staring at him. A lot.

After having memorized the exact pattern the dark ring of brown made around the outer edge of Tommy’s green iris, David fears the image might burn into his retinas.

He loves Tommy, he really does, but this is a bit…excessive.

“Why are we doing this again?”

“I told you.” Tommy is still staring at him intensely. “They’re not gonna show up our date.”

“It’s not a competition, Tommy.”

“You don’t live with them.”

David almost, _almost_ looks away. Before his eyes can focus on anything else, Tommy’s hand is cupping his chin and guiding him back.

“No. We can’t let them win.”

David sighs with only half as much exasperation as he feels. Then Tommy is batting his eyelashes in David’s direction and David can only laugh and reach across the table to take Tommy’s hand.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**On a Date**

 

Tommy meets David at the gates to Xavier’s school. He asks where David wants to go and David chooses noodles because he knows Tommy likes anything put on pasta. They walk to a restaurant a few blocks away, the kind with red checkered tablecloths and a tiny vase of flowers on the each table, and when the waiter asks their preferences David requests a secluded table for the two of them.

Once they’ve eaten their fill of chicken parmesan and split a cake for dessert, they enjoy another walk and cut through the park on their way to the movie theater. It’s Tommy’s turn to pick what they watch and he goes for a generic looking comedy that’s the third in its series and sure to be horrible. David doesn’t care because he knows he’ll be paying more attention to the boy sitting beside him in the plush seats than any film on the screen.

For them its…oddly normal and David thanks whatever stars are out that they weren’t interrupted for some emergency. Their dinner wasn’t ended by a robbery in progress and they weren’t pulled from the movie by the sound of falling rubble. It’s selfish, David thinks, to want even more time for themselves away from their teams, away from the superheroing business in the world. But when they’re back at the gate, he kisses Tommy anyway and asks if he wants to come inside and figures the world can wait for them a little longer.

 

~~~

**Dancing**

 

Of course David knew how to dance. David knew how to do a lot of things. But just because a person knew _how_ to do something didn’t mean it worked out so well in practice. The three aircrafts David had crashed in the past year could attest to that.

So when Tommy finally managed to drag him out to a club, David had to face the fact that yes—he knew how to dance—but he wasn’t very _good_ at it.

He had escaped to a table under the guise of saving them seats without embarrassing himself too much. David could feel the beat of the music pounding through his chest and it wasn’t hard to bob along as they made their way inside. But now Tommy was bounding up to him, a grin on his face and an arm outstretched.

“C’mon,” he said, taking David’s hand and pulling him toward the mass of writhing bodies, “we’re dancing.”

Before David could argue, Tommy had carved out space for them on the dance floor. David felt like he might be crushed by the other dancers on every side of him. Then Tommy was in front of him, hands on David’s hips to guide him into moving with the pulsating bass. He relocated his arms up to sling around David’s neck, closing the gap between them and letting their hips move together instead.

“Don’t worry,” Tommy said, leaning in close to David’s ear so he’d be able to hear his words over the music. “No one’s paying attention. Just let go and have fun.”

David just gripped at the hips moving along with his own and tried to keep up.

 

~~~

**Cooking/ Baking**

 

“Here, try this.”

David eyed the goopy substance presented to him on a wooden mixing spoon suspiciously. A bowl of it was cradled against Tommy’s waist with one arm. Tommy waved the spoon impatiently, a tiny drop of the lumpy chocolate mix splattering on the counter to join the egg shells and powder remnants. David grasped the hand holding the spoon in his own to keep it still and hesitantly leaned forward to lick a bit off the edge.

“It’s—” he regarded the spoon with surprise, tasting it again to make sure the first wasn’t a fluke. “It’s good.”

Tommy beamed triumphantly and went back to mixing.

“What recipe are you using?” David asked. He laughed when he was simply handed a box labeled _Sara Lee_.

 

~~~

**In Battle, Side by Side**

 

“Seventeen,” David counts as he brings down another Doombot. The mechanical parts that survived the explosion lie at his feet, sparking and sputtering. The smoke is momentarily dissipated by a sudden breeze.

“Forty three!” Tommy shouts as he zips past. David hears another explosion followed by, “Forty eight!”

 

~~~

**One of Their Birthdays**

 

Tommy corners David in the kitchen. People flutter in and out, some searching for specific bottles of alcohol and others just grabbing one at random. Tommy holds his own plastic cup protectively against his chest as he presses the full length of his body against David’s. Taking a sip from his own cup, something strong that Kate had mixed for him earlier, David slips his free hand into the back pocket of Tommy’s tight, _tight_ jeans.

“Are you having a good time?” Tommy asks. His voice is pitched low and he doesn’t try to hide that his eyes have trailed from David’s eyes down to his mouth. David takes another sip of his drink just to watch Tommy lick his lips.

“Great,” David nods and revels in the feeling of Tommy’s hand on resting on his waist, radiating warmth. “I like getting everyone together.”

He's pretty sure Tommy isn't listening. Because of their height difference, Tommy’s nose nudges at David’s jaw. When he tips his chin up, David meets him at just the right angle so that Tommy can lean forward to kiss him.

They stand there just like that, kissing in the kitchen, until the door swings open and they hear an exaggerated huff paired with, “Get a room.” When they finally look up, they’re met with the sight of a pink-cheeked Billy and Teddy standing in the doorway behind him.

“You’re one to talk,” Tommy bites back. He turns his head to face his brother, but doesn’t other wise move away from David. His hand slides up David’s chest. “Go away, we’re busy.”

“You are in the _kitchen._ Also you can’t tell me what to do it’s my birthday.”

“That doesn’t work when it’s also _my_ birthday, dumbass.”

Before Billy can respond again, Teddy gently steers him out of the kitchen with a hand on his hip and a muttered, “Let’s go dance.” He nods to Tommy and David on his way through the door.

“Have fun, kids,” he says with a wink. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

Tommy turns back and moves his hand up to cup David’s jaw, thumb stroking over his cheek. “Where were we?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Shopping**

 

David raised an eyebrow as Tommy unceremoniously dumped approximately thirty boxes of pasta into their cart. He continued down the aisle, leaving David to deal with the cart full of haphazardly piled boxes. With a heavy sigh, David replaced two thirds of them back to their appropriate spots on the metal shelves. He took special care to keep the cuts that were Tommy’s favorites and added jars of sauce that would go well with them. When he looked up again Tommy was making his way down the aisle once more, arms loaded with more food, and David’s palm met his forehead.

 

~~~

**With Animal Ears**

 

“I’m gonna kill him.”

“You know, that won’t actually help us.”

“I’m gonna kill him.”

“Okay, say you do. Then who will make the ears disappear?”

“We know other magic users.”

“It would be a lot more work to find them and convince them. Please just let Billy do it.”

“Billy and his magic are not coming near me, at all, ever again.”

“I think they’re cute.”

“I will also kill you.”

 

~~~

**Making Out**

 

They were in Tommy’s room at the Kaplan’s, watching a movie while the parents out and Rebecca wasn't cheerfully reminding them to, “Keep the door open, boys. House rules.” The movie barely made its way to the opening credits—it was really only there for plausible deniability anyway—before Tommy was climbing into David’s lap and kissing him.

David complied happily, leaning back so Tommy could comfortably situate himself on top. His jeans stretched to allow his legs to spread over David’s hips. David petted Tommy’s hair and tugged their bodies closer with a hand against his back and Tommy sucked on his tongue.

Using his weight to pin David to the mattress, Tommy slipped his hand beneath David’s t-shirt and stroked his palms against firm abs. David trailed his own hands across Tommy’s back, over his hips, and gripped his thighs to pull their bodies impossibly closer. When Tommy made pleased little humming noises, David teased at his bottom lip with his teeth. His hands moved from Tommy’s thighs to grab his ass and those little noises turned into a drawn out groan.

The thing about making out with Tommy was that he didn’t get breathless nearly as quickly. Tommy was still corrupting David with kisses when David had to pull away. Heaven knew he didn’t want to but his lungs felt ready to explode. He took gasping breaths against the column of neck in front of him as Tommy used the pause to his advantage. He marked David’s jaw with sloppy kisses before swirling his tongue in David’s ear and nipped at his lobe before doing it again.

David hears Tommy laugh lightly and his hands tighten on Tommy’s hips. As he sat up, Tommy fell sideways to settle onto the mess of blankets, immediately tipping his chin up and meeting David’s tongue with his own. And that was the moment David’s glasses decided to slip from behind his ears and fall down his nose. David scrambled to catch them but, of course, Tommy got there first.

This time Tommy laughed into David’s mouth, the sound swallowed up by another kiss.

 

~~~

**Doing Something Together _(Moving_ _In)_**

 

“Is that the last one?” David asks as he sifts through layers of bubble wrap and newspaper to find his dishes.

“It’s the last one for today,” Tommy scoffs and lays down on the couch that’s still in the middle of the room. It’s half-covered in boxes, so he has to hang one leg over the back and let the other dangle onto the floor. He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand and the movement makes his bangs stick up in all directions. “Remind me why I thought moving was a good idea again?”

“Because now you get a roommate.”

“This sucks. I have to share everything.”

In response, David leans over the back of the couch and plants a kiss right on Tommy’s mouth. Tommy reaches up and grabs a fistful of David’s shirt to keep him there.

“I guess it does have its perks,” Tommy mutters as he arches closer to David’s lips.

 

~~~

**Getting Married**

 

“What? You were afraid I wouldn’t make it?”

David just stares at his fiancé, eyes wide behind his glasses. Honestly, David thought there might be an issue with Tommy showing up on time. Instead, Tommy greeted him at the end of the aisle, as planned, with an easy grin. He looked comfortable, not at all flighty, and exactly one hundred percent fine with This Situation. David, on the other hand, thinks he might sweat through his tux.

His family, the Kaplans, the extended Young Avengers, and upwards of fifty X-Men were all sitting there, watching and waiting and _how was Tommy not nervous_.

“C’mon, smart guy.” Tommy grasps his hand and pulls him forward, breaking David from his mini-trance. David doesn’t see Tommy’s hand move, but feels the light stroke across his cheek. “We have a wedding to attend.”

David hopes his smile doesn’t come out as a wince.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Wearing Each Others' Clothes**

 

Tommy walked into the kitchen first. Then, as instructed, David followed a moment later.

Billy and Teddy were already eating cereal at the table, Teddy with the newspaper open to the Times crossword puzzle. Tommy was digging for something in the fridge so David moved to get bowls.

“So how was _your_ night, David?” Billy asked as if he already knew the answer. He probably did—Jeff and Rebecca Kaplan left for a flight in the wee hours of the morning, leaving the boys full run of the house. As soon as the door shut behind them, Teddy moved to Billy’s room and Tommy texted David to tell him the coast was clear.

David only shrugged as an answer and pulled the dishes from the cabinet. He and Tommy gathered all the necessary ingredients for a quick breakfast of cereal and milk, Tommy pouring powdered sugar atop the plain corn flakes.

“Just so you know,” Billy said, pointing a finger between the two of them. “You might want to watch what clothes you're putting on in the morning. Tommy’s don’t have X’s.”

David didn’t know why, but his cheeks heated. It was probably the way Teddy’s eyebrows were raised and Billy was smirking. Tommy rolled his eyes and gathered up some spoons. “Come on,” he said, “we’ll eat upstairs.”

“Be glad it didn’t happen with Mom here!” Billy called after them.

Teddy just shook his head. “Rookie mistake.”

 

~~~

**Wearing Kigurumis**

 

“Does it look alright?” David asked.

Kate had left two boxes in front of their room at Bishop Publishing, labeled with their names and each with a note that read _this party has a theme_ next to a smiley face. With a long up-and-down glance, Tommy didn’t even try to contain his grin. David was costumed in an adult-sized onesie with tiger ears on the hood and a long, striped tail dangling from his butt. Somehow, Kate had perfectly matched the shade of orange to David’s glasses.

When Tommy laughed at how ridiculous David looked, his own hood fell into his face. He pulled it back by the long rabbit ears sticking out of the top and soon, David was laughing with him.

 

~~~

**Eating Ice Cream**

 

“Your bill’s already paid,” the waitress said cheerfully. “And your dessert’ll be here in just a minute.”

David watched her leave, quizzical expression etched across his features as he looked to Tommy. The other boy just seemed to be rolling with it.

“Who—?”

Tommy shrugged before David could articulate the question. “Does it matter?”

“Well, yes, kind of. We don’t know—”

But his sentence was cut off by the return of the waitress. She set a single large glass full of chocolate milkshake topped with whipped cream and a cherry in front of them. She added two straws to their pile of utensils.

“Enjoy,” she said, winking and turning to leave.

“Uh, sorry.” David’s words made her turn back to the table. “But, who paid for this?”

“Well, she asked me to keep it a secret,” the waitress leaned forward, dramatically whispering, “But I will say she was wearing an awful lot of purple. Nice girl, wanted you two fellas to have a good time.”

David nodded and thanked her and she left the table. When he turned back, Tommy was already happily spooning whipped cream off the top of their milkshake. With his free hand, he reached across the table and tapped David’s knuckles.

“Being an X-Kid has made you very suspicious,” he said. He held a spoonful of ice cream up to David’s lips. “Please _enjoy_ it.”

 

~~~

**During Their Morning Rituals**

 

David was up promptly with his alarm at seven fifteen each morning. He hit the showers, shaved, brushed his teeth, and dressed in the peaceful quiet of the early hour. If Tommy didn’t join him for the shower, David would wake him when he sat on the edge of the mattress to pull on his shoes. He’d nudge Tommy’s side, talk to him, and maybe kiss him a few times before Tommy finally got his ass out of bed. As Tommy went about his business, David would lace up his boots and by the time he was finished tying them, Tommy was leaning against their bedroom door waiting to leave.

 

~~~

**Spooning**

 

When Tommy got back to the lair, David was already asleep. He didn’t fuss much, but Tommy figured it must be hard for him—and Kate, too—to be humans on a super team.

Dim light from the streetlamps outside seeped in through a crack in the curtain, but otherwise the room was dark. Tommy was beat—he had done a few laps of North America to blow of steam after the Young Avengers’ latest battle with Doctor Doom. Now, it took just a few seconds before he was stripped down to his boxers and ready to climb in bed with his boyfriend.

From there, he went slow, carefully pulling the blankets far enough to slide under them and barely putting his weight on the mattress. The last thing he wanted to do was wake David. Who knew when they might be called for an emergency and David definitely needed rest before that happened.

Tommy curled against David’s back, arm slipping around his waist and nose tucking in behind his ear. In his sleep, David mumbled something and shifted closer so Tommy kissed his shoulder and drifted into slumber beside him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I were an X-Kid, I'd be very suspicious.


	5. Chapter 5

**Cuddling Somewhere**

 

David wasn’t surprised anymore when Tommy crawled into bed with him in the darkest hours of the morning. The more time he spent with Tommy the more he understood that he thrived on contact, on nonchalant gestures and meaningful touches. So he’d just pull the covers back and let Tommy settle in for sleep. Tonight was no different.

The usual knock sounded lightly against his door and David gave the usual sleep-gruff, “Come in.”

“Hey,” Tommy said in way of greeting. He had stopped giving flimsy excuses weeks ago. David made an answering sound, too tired to form words at the moment. Lifting up one side of his blanket, he scooted over to make room on the bed for another body.

It was a full size mattress and still a tight squeeze between two growing men, but Tommy laid half on top of David and tucked his head beneath his chin. David draped his arm across Tommy’s back. Warmth radiated from Tommy’s body so David left the blankets pushed down a little. He could feel the hard line of Tommy’s nose as the other boy nuzzled against his neck.

“Thanks,” Tommy said, so quietly that David didn’t know if he was intended to hear it.

He pulled Tommy closer against him, kissed his wild white hair, and drifted back to sleep.

 

~~~

**Gaming**

 

“No. No no no nononono _nonono_.”

Tommy didn’t notice that his mantra had reached superspeed. David hushed him and carefully walked through the dank hallways, his attention never straying from the screen. As the music grew more ominous, Tommy slid further behind David’s back. He braced his hands on strong shoulders.

“Run, just run,” he said, voice barely a whisper.

“No. We tried that last time and died a horrible, bloody death.”

Tommy sat stationed behind David as they ventured through more long, dim hallways searching for their next objective. Candles cast eerie shadows onto the walls and David crept slowly.

There was a clamoring on-screen. A sudden, shadowy beast was tearing and clawing its way on screen.

“Holy shit!”

“Motherfu—”

David tensed and Tommy ducked behind him and they both froze. They sat together, staring at the screen with wide eyes and breathing harshly as their avatar died again.

After he regained his breath, David quickly saved and leaned forward to hit the power button on the monitor. The screen went blank, sitting innocently.

“…I don’t think I’m up for any more tonight.”

 

~~~

**Kissing**

 

David was off the Blackbird for half a second before his arms were full of anxious speedster. He’d been in a long, hard battle and had a short ride home and Tommy launched at him with such force that his legs actually buckled. They fell to their knees on the ground together, right there on the X-Men tarmac surrounded by the rest of David’s team.

His uniform was torn and dirty, but Tommy didn’t care. Not with the way he was clutching at David’ shoulders. He peppered kisses across David’s face, minding the purple bruise on his right cheek and the gash near his hairline. David was doing his best to respond whenever those kisses landed on his lips but he was too focused on hugging Tommy back and not passing out from exhaustion.

“I’m home.” David’s voice cracked.

Tommy laughed weakly and kissed David’s lips again. “Welcome back.”

 

~~~

**Cosplaying**

 

“I’m seriously gonna kill him.”

“I think that’s a bit rash. It’s just a costume.”

“Do you think this is funny?”

Tommy looked positively _murderous_ standing there in an exact replica of Quicksilver’s first uniform. David, in fact, thought it was hilarious but tried to stifle his laugh for his own safety.

“What? You look good.”

“First the fucking _cat ears_ and now _this_? Billy needs to get his shit together.”

“The ears were fully functional. And this costume is actually very accurate. I think his control is improving.”

“Don’t defend this.”

“He made everyone’s costumes for this con. You’re all legacies, he thought it would be cool to dress as your counterparts. You have to give him points for concept.”

“…is he wearing the swimsuit?”

David shrugged, he had no clue. “I think so?”

Tommy frowned. “I still might kill him.”

 

~~~

**In Formalwear**

 

When David found Tommy after the wedding, his jacket was already off and his bowtie was dangling around his neck. He was sitting at a table with two younger girls who were enraptured with cakes from the dessert buffet.

“Hey,” he said softly, extending a hand forward. “May I have this dance?” The two girls glanced at each other and giggled. Tommy snorted but set his drink down anyway. He was smiling as he took David’s hand and followed him to the dance floor where the DJ was starting up a slower song. Tommy automatically curled his arms around David’s neck, so David settled his hands at Tommy’s hips.

“So how’d everything go? Well?” David asked as they began to sway together to the beat.

“Well, I didn’t lose the rings and they broke the glasses fine. I’d call it a success.”

“Any Avenger incidents?”

“All clear, thank God. No villain dared crash the wedding of the century.” David followed Tommy’s gaze to where Billy and Teddy were dancing, pressed as close together as he and Tommy were at the moment. Then, Tommy’s eyes were on him again. “I missed you, though.”

A silence fell between them. David didn’t know what to say so he just squeezed Tommy's hip and rested their foreheads together.

“The wedding party all got hotel rooms.” Tommy said finally. “You can come up. If you want.”

“Yeah.” David nodded and their noses bumped together. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagined they were playing Amnesia: The Dark Descent if anyone's wondering.


	6. Chapter 6

**Arguing**

 

“I don’t get why you won’t just let her visit.”

David took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s not _safe_ , Tommy.”

He received rolled eyes in response. “Where is?”

This time, David held his breath and counted to ten. Tommy had been badgering him about this for the better part of an hour—which was a _long damn time_ where Tommy was concerned. One message from his sister and now Tommy was on her side, vying for Kim’s right to come visit her big brother in New York.

It’s not that he even disagreed with Tommy. He loved Kim. He wished she could come visit him more often. But New York had a reputation and that reputation was super-powered catastrophe.

Not exactly the best environment for a girl visiting her depowered brother.

David shook his thoughts away and paced the room. Kim wasn’t coming, end of story. She was his sister, not Tommy’s, and he didn’t want to fight about this anymore. Why couldn’t Tommy see that he wasn’t being unreasonable, that his affiliation with the X-Men made his life that much more dangerous, powers or no powers. He made the mistake of bringing Kim into the fray once, he wasn’t going to do it again.

“Last time she visited me a ghost wreaked havoc on the school and she swore she was a mutant,” he continued, hoping Tommy would see reason. “Since then my school was attacked. Multiple times. And you were recently brought back from nonexistence with no explanation.”

“Okay? But she’ll be with you. Us. The team. We can watch over her for a few days while she’s in New York.”

“I’m going to Chicago in a couple months. She can wait.”

“What, because she’s so much safer there?”

“Actually, yes. I’m not nearly as worried about super-villains attacking the Midwest as I am New York City.”

“Don’t you want to see your sister?”

“Of course, Tommy.”

“Doesn’t really seem like it.”

“What would you know about it?” David pushed, bite in his voice. “You didn’t have a brother until he accidentally busted you out of juvie.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, David regretted them. He wished he could stop the words from reaching Tommy’s ears, just reach forward and yank them back out of the air. But he couldn’t. He was too late. Open mouth, insert foot. He let the words escape and now he had to follow them.

For a split second, David watched the hurt blossom across Tommy’s features before he expertly schooled his expression back to artificial uncaring. “Whatever,” he said, “Do what you want.”

David tried to catch the door, to stop him from leaving, to apologize, to say something, anything, but the words caught in his throat. What was one step for him was nothing to Tommy and he was gone in the blink of an eye, door slamming solidly behind him.

 

~~~

**Making Up Afterward**

 

David was already slouched over the bar when the rest of the team arrived. These plans had been on the books for weeks now, he wasn’t going to miss. The bartender exchanged his empty bottle for a fresh one, popping the cap and offering a sympathetic nod before turning back to the glasses she was drying. Kate nodded a greeting as she sat beside him. Tommy was hovering behind Billy and Teddy, standing off to the side. As America took a stool, Tommy’s last refuge was gone. He could choose to sit beside David, sit on the other side of the bar, or leave. With Tommy, any of those options was just as likely.

This whole argument was ridiculous. David knew that. He figured Tommy probably knew that too. Most of their problem wasn’t even about his sister coming to visit. They both liked to be right, to have the last word, and neither of them liked to give up. If that wasn’t what this whole dispute was about, then David would lick M.O.D.O.K.’s oversized head.

But…Tommy hadn’t been home since yesterday and he missed the way Tommy would lean against him they sat together. He missed the light touches Tommy would lay on his back or arms or shoulder every time he passed. Last night David had woken himself after reaching out and finding no one beside him in bed. At first, his sleep-addled mind believed Tommy had been kidnapped again until his brain helpfully reminded him of the door slamming in his face.

As he watched Tommy’s eyes flick between seats, David slid his still-full bottle to the empty space on his other side. He didn’t watch Tommy anymore, turned back to Kate instead and joining her story half-way through its telling. The ball was in Tommy’s court and he could make his own decision while David did the best he could to ignore Billy and Teddy’s curious glances.

A moment later, there was a warm hand on his back and a thigh nudging his.

“Hey,” Tommy said quietly, taking a swig from the bottle before handing it back to David. Peace offering accepted, returned. “Look, I’m—”

David pressed their lips together before he could finish. Their kiss was sweet, short but packed with words he couldn’t say that he hoped Tommy could translate. Kate flawlessly kept the others entertained so David let them take their moment.

“I’m sorry,” he said and Tommy leaned forward to rest their foreheads together. David bumped their noses together as they soaked in each other’s presence. As he turned back toward the others, he felt the familiar warmth of Tommy sidling up beside him and fingers winding through his own.

 

~~~

**Doing Something Ridiculous**

 

[New Message 12:32PM] Tommy:  
Hey

[Sent Message 12:33PM]  
Hey :) Just started break, what’s up?

[New Message 12:33PM] Tommy:  
At lunch w team. Join?

[Sent Message 12:34PM]  
Already ordered :/

[New Message 12:35PM] Tommy:  
OK. In that case…what r u wearing?

[Sent Message 12:36PM]  
??? Are you trying to sext over lunch?

[New Message 12:36PM] Tommy:  
Sry did u want to talk about the weather?

[Sent Message 12:37PM]  
The others are right there

[Sent Message 12:37PM]  
Also you’re in public

[New Message 12:38PM] Tommy:  
So???

[Sent Message 12:40PM]  
So I’m not sexting you while you’re at lunch with the team

[New Message 12:41PM] Tommy:  
When will you sext me then? ;)

[New Message 12:42PM] Tommy:  
Come onnn plz i want u d

[New Message 12:42PM] Tommy:  
I meant ‘i want u david’ but also ur d

[New Message 12:47PM] Tommy:  
U there???

[Sent Message 12:47PM]  
Yeah I’m husdfg

[Sent Message 12:48PM]  
Yeah I just got food. Be done eating in like 10 min

[Sent Message 12:48PM]  
PS I’m at the noodle place

[New Message 12:49PM] Tommy:  
The one w the big bathroom?

[Sent Message 12:49PM]  
Yup

[New Message 12:50PM] Tommy:  
B there in 5

[Sent Message 12:50PM]  
What about lunch?

[New Message 12:53PM] Tommy:  
Already done. Omw

 

~~~

**Doing Something Sweet**

 

“Hey!”

David’s heart skipped a beat, partly from shock and partly from the bright grin pasted across Tommy’s features. It was that carefree, world-at-our-fingertips grin that sometimes meant Tommy was getting into trouble in the near future but was always, always worth it. David threw some clothes into the hamper and kissed that grin.

“You’re early,” he said after he’d pulled away. Tommy continued to lean into his personal space, a place David was happy to have him.

“I wanted to get there on time.”

“‘There’ where?”

Tommy’s eyes flicked to the door before he answered. “To watch the sunset.”

“…It’s only six o’clock.”

Still smiling, Tommy rolled his eyes and wound his arms behind him, poised and ready to catch David’s legs in their standard piggy-back accommodation for when Tommy got to pick the location of date-night. “You comin’ or not?”

Against his better judgment, David had learned to trust that grin. He accepted the piggy-back, a little awkwardly since he was slightly taller, but Tommy held his weight just fine. David barely had time to think about it anyway because Tommy took off the moment he was secure.

Super-speed was an interesting power to experience from a non-powered standpoint. David understood all the physics and biology behind it, understood how to strategize with its greatest benefit potential, but it was a whole new, exhilarating experience to travel at the speed of sound. The first few times it had made David sick, much to Tommy’s amusement. Then he’d gotten used to it and now he kind of enjoyed it. He couldn’t keep his eyes open to watch the colors blur past and see others move in slow-motion. Part of the power set was that Tommy’s eyes kept up with his speed, made up for the difference in visuo-cognitive processing that David’s eyes couldn’t. But even without sight, David felt the wind rushing past and Tommy’s muscles working, his whole body alive with kinetic energy. When Tommy took him running, David understood why Tommy so often equated it with freedom.

Tommy stopped as suddenly as he started, skidding to halt. David opened his eyes and took in the new scenery as Tommy set him down. They were on a beach, fading billows of sand marking Tommy’s path and a lazy tide lapping at the shore. Across the water, as promised, the sun was beginning to set.

The sky was blending brilliant hues of orange and red into deep shades of violet, clouds glowing with highlights. When David turned around again, Tommy was already laid out in the sand, arms propped behind his head, watching David’s movements.

“Nice view,” David commented.

“Yeah,” Tommy agreed. His eyes never moved from David.

 

~~~

**Doing Something Hot**

 

Tommy was clawing at him while they kissed, almost tearing clothes in the process of getting undressed without separating their mouths. Finally David just picked him up and carried him the rest of the way to his bedroom, losing clothes and banging into walls along the way, narrowly missing getting clocked by the door as they entered. He thanked whatever planets had aligned that not only were the Kaplan parents gone, but both younger Kaplan brothers, and Billy and Teddy as well. Once David made it into the room Tommy and Teddy shared, they toppled onto Tommy’s bed in a gloriously naked pile of limbs. David whined when Tommy turned away from their kisses.

“Wait, wait.” Tommy was crawling up David’s body, leaning over the mattress edge with his knees anchored around David’s ribcage. He was breathless, chest still heaving as he reached over the side of the bed. With the lithe body wriggling above him, David occupied himself by mouthing at Tommy’s abdomen, biting the firm muscles as he gripped his hips tight so Tommy wouldn't go toppling over the edge. The nightstand drawer opened and slammed shut. One of his hands slid over Tommy’s back, dipping between his ass cheeks before Tommy popped back up with an exuberant, “Aha!”

He was wielding a dark brown bottle triumphantly in the air when he sat up, tossing a smaller bottle David recognized as his lube to the side. Tommy ran his other hand across David’s chest and flicked at a dusky nipple, resettling himself over David’s hips.

“You’ve got a sweet tooth yeah?” Based on that smirk, David was ninety-eight percent sure he knew what was about to happen.

David gasped as Tommy simultaneously rolled his hips and pulled the bottle’s cap between his teeth. It made a dull _thuk_ sound of being opened before Tommy tipped it briefly into his mouth and leaned down to recapture David’s lips.

The taste of chocolate burst across his taste buds and his tongue chased the flavor into Tommy’s mouth. He jerked when cold liquid landed in drops on his chest, followed by Tommy licking it up.

“Okay,” David agreed breathlessly, “Let’s do this.” Wrapping arms around Tommy’s middle, he flipped them over and positioned himself between pale thighs. He was probably owed congratulations for catching the bottle before the movement caused a spill and left Tommy with stains to explain to Mrs. Kaplan. Then he upended the bottle himself, pouring a thick line of chocolate down Tommy’s chest.

Tommy hissed in a breath at the contact. He dragged a finger through the mess, bringing it up to his lips and purposefully wiping a generous amount on his bottom lip before sucking his finger into his mouth. A groan escaped David’s throat and he fell forward, licking and nipping at Tommy’s lip, kissing him and then making his way lower.

Swipes of his tongue cleaned some of the mess while his kisses just smeared the rest of it and David was enjoying both, meticulously attending to the sweet smudges across Tommy’s ribs. Low, breathy moans spurred him on and Tommy’s hips grinding up against David’s created delicious friction. He didn’t want Tommy getting bored so he scooped up more chocolate on his index finger and offered him another taste. Immediately, Tommy accepted the digit, lips wrapped tight, tongue swirling, and no ambiguity left about what he wanted. In response to a nip against the pad of finger, David’s dipped his tongue in Tommy’s navel.

The next time David grabbed the bottle, he drizzled chocolate in zigzags over the soft skin on the insides of Tommy’s thighs. His legs flinched when the cold liquid touched his skin but he warmed right up when David’s mouth traced the pattern. Thoroughly cleaning up the chocolaty mess, David bypassed pouring more and moved straight to where Tommy wanted his mouth most. The moans got louder, needier and Tommy gripped the sheets in balled fists as David sank his mouth over Tommy’s cock. David was thorough here, too. He was well aware that he took his time and teased Tommy to the brink so when Tommy arched up, pushing David over onto his back while saying, “Okay, okay, _fuck_ , just let me sit on your dick already,” David didn’t argue.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that ends the challenge! Head over to tumblr for more drabbles while I'm between larger writing projects. I'm tedaltmans there, too!


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